


A Risk Worth Taking (a burn worth enduring)

by BooksandKpop



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Johzenji, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, Rated for swearing, Semi moves to Johzenji, Volleyball, and general teenage boy dumbassery, hinted takeharu/kazuma i suppose, i have never been able to tag sorry, is it angst? i don't think so, like oh my god I am a disaster, maybe? they're emo boys sometimes, overdramatic, the johzenji boys are such a squad, the relationship is hinted but they're the main pairing i guess, they deserve more love, they're literally my favourite boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24098773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/pseuds/BooksandKpop
Summary: It was a Monday like every other (it was a monday like no other)Practice started as normal (practice was never the same again)Semi Eita joined the team (semi eita changed their lives)aka the AU where Semi Eita moves from Shiratorizawa to Johzenji high in his final year and Terushima Yuuji is a great vice-captain.“Ignore the risk, and take the fall. If it’s meant to be, it’s worth it all."
Relationships: Terushima Yuuji/Semi Eita
Comments: 28
Kudos: 70





	A Risk Worth Taking (a burn worth enduring)

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all...I'm so sorry for this hot mess. 
> 
> So basically, what happened was, last week I read [this](https://www.instagram.com/p/B_bK5aogBuh/) post on my Instagram explore page and immediately wrote more headcanons for it because I love Johzenji boys and Semi separately so the thought of them together was just...mind blowing. And then people were like "you should write it" and I went...maybe I should! 
> 
> And then I got carried away and wrote nearly 8K in my first sitting so...that should give you an idea of the kind of person I am. But yeah, here's this disaster. I kept it as close to canon as I could despite the obvious changes, including scenes and plays from the actual volleyball matches where possible. 
> 
> I guess I'm sorry? That y'all have to deal with this? There's not even any actual romantic canon between them it's just a lot of Teru doing his "pining for the captain" thing that's canon with him and Daichi except it's Semi this time. And yeah I love these dumbass chaotic nerds a lot so...have fun?

“Piece of crap, stupid alarm clock. I fu-” Yuuji’s stream of creative curses continued in his head as he shoved half a banana in his mouth in one go and grabbed his bento box off the counter. His mother called goodbye to him as he stumbled into his shoes at the door and grabbed his bag. He hoped she saw his enthusiastic wave in her direction. Of course, today would have to be the day his alarm clock stopped in the middle of the night and never went off to wake him for school. All he could do was run faster down the street and pray he managed to catch the bus. He couldn’t afford to be late this morning. 

Fortune somehow was on his side for a change, and he skidded up to the bus stop just as the last of the students were climbing on. He had to stand, but it was better than having to run to school. There were a few other students giving him weird looks but Yuuji just let his casual smirk fall easily into place and slowly began to catch his breath on the ride to school. Whatever state he looked like could be fixed with Kazuma’s help in the bathrooms before class started. No big deal. 

The rumours had been flying for the last few weeks that someone was transferring to Johzenji High. And they were supposed to be coming today. As hard as he tried, Yuuji couldn’t manage to pin down where it started, but it seemed to be pretty well accepted. It wasn’t just that someone was moving schools in the middle of the semester that had people flustered, because if the rumours were true then it wasn’t just _someone_ . It was a third-year student - from Shiratorizawa. And while everyone seemed to accept that they were definitely getting a new student, no one could agree on a reason for someone from _that_ school moving to Johzenji, especially not when they were supposed to be graduating in a year. 

Nothing was said over the morning announcements. One of the girls from the basketball team said she didn’t see anyone new in the teacher’s lounge when she went in after first period. Even the third years hadn’t heard anything about a new student joining any of their classes. It was very possible that the rumours were wrong. As the day wore on, everyone started to laugh at how the whole school had gotten so invested in this. It was almost like that time last year when somehow everyone was convinced that their principal was going to propose to the coach of the track team. That hadn’t happened either - turns out the track team coach was already married. Yuuji laughed it off with everyone else and went back to focusing on class. Seems like he had run for the bus for nothing this morning. 

After school was volleyball practice, one of Yuuji’s favourite things about the day. The Interhigh tournament was only a few weeks away and the team was still finding its feet a little bit. Only having two third-years around was weird, but it meant that Yuuji and the other second-years had a lot of room to prove themselves. The two-on-two matches were always exhausting, but their playstyle had evolved so much because of it that coach Anabara was certain they were going to make waves in their matches. 

They were about halfway through their stretches when Hana and Runa showed up. Everyone had noticed the absence of their managers but no one said anything. But the person who walked into the gym with the two girls made the whole team fall silent. He wasn’t overly tall or broad, but the presence he had was overwhelming.

Yuuji couldn’t take his eyes off him. 

“Everyone gather round!” They all scrambled to form a semi-circle around the coach and the mystery guy. Except, as Yuuji got a better look at him from up close he began to look incredibly familiar. “Since you’re all such awful gossips I’m sure you already have heard about Johzenji getting a new transfer student. Well, here he is.” Yuuji’s heart stopped in his chest for a second as coaches words hit him. He heard the sharp intake of breath around him from the rest of the team. 

The rumours were true. Not only was the person transferring to their school a third-year from Shiratorizawa, but he was a member of the powerhouse schools volleyball team. What on earth was he doing here?

The ash-grey student cleared his throat and addressed them all in a clear, calm tone. “My name is Semi Eita, I play the position of setter. Please take care of me.” He bowed deeply towards them all and the air in the gym grew heavy. Why was the setter for Shiratorizawa here instead of there? Okudake made sure to greet him properly and the rest of the team followed their captains lead. Yuuji still felt incredibly off balance. Hana led him out of the gym to show him where the club room was for him to change into training gear. As soon as the door had shut behind them everyone began to yell. 

“HEY!” Coach gave them all of thirty seconds before calling them back to attention. Takeharu was clinging to the back of Yuuji’s shirt, and he wrapped an arm around his friend to pull him close. “Semi-kun is an extremely talented volleyball player and we are very lucky that he wanted to join our team. I know it is going to be hard to adjust to having a new member but I trust you will all be very welcoming and _not_ harass him about his reasons for changing schools. Do I make myself clear?” A resounding chorus of ‘Yes coach’ echoed around the gym and he dismissed them to continue their stretches.

Practice was the textbook definition of surreal. Semi was indeed an incredible volleyball player. It was clearly written in every movement he made, his body completely at ease on the court. His serves were powerful and deadly accurate, he moved around the court like a swan on water. Yuuji took a ball to the face because he was paying closer attention to the look of concentration on Semi’s face as he set the ball than to where his captain was spiking it. Tsucchi laughed so hard that he fell over and coach called an end to their two-on-two match after that. 

He took a break on the sidelines as Runa fussed over him. She refused to listen to his protests that he was fine and insisted on holding a cooling pack against his cheek while they watched another practice game. Yuuji barely noticed the cold sensation on his skin as his eyes were completely focused on watching Semi play. It was Kazuma and Izaka against Semi and Jiri - two blockers vs a setter and spiker.

Johzenji was far from a weak team. Their defence was strong and every player could receive the ball well - although it wasn’t always exactly textbook methods. All that mattered was that the ball didn’t hit the court, and their team got very inventive in their persistence to keep it up. Yuuji knew how Shiratorizawa played. Their whole team revolved around Ushijima, and his unrelenting force when he hit the ball. He was certain that with a player like that, the goal of the setter would be to make sure that the ball was in the perfect place to be spiked every time. And yet, the way Semi played was nothing like he would have expected. 

His tosses were never uniform, but always exactly where the spiker needed them to be. He would seemingly go for a setter dump only to pass the ball back at the last second, his posture never giving anything away. While his receives weren’t great if the ball was off and his blocks could use some work, his overall skill as a player was undeniable. Yuuji desperately wanted to know why he had left Shiratorizawa, and why he had moved here instead. 

At the end of practice, everyone was exhausted as usual. But there was a new buzz around them as they watched their current third-years welcome their newest team member with hearty slaps on the back and offered water bottles. Coach gave them all a short talk afterwards and then sent them on their way with strict instructions to eat plenty of food for dinner. He never had to worry about those instructions not being followed. They all trooped back to the club room to change and head home, the sun long gone from the sky. 

Just as some of them were finishing up and about to head out, Okudake called them all back around. He waited until he had everyone’s attention before swinging one arm over Semi’s shoulders with a wide grin. “Tomorrow, everyone bring some extra food for lunch. We’re going to have a welcoming party for the newest member of the Johzenji volleyball team.” Semi looked flustered and went to protest but everyone else just cheered loudly over him. A party was what they did best. Captain waved them off once he was satisfied and Yuuji finished changing in time to leave with Kazuma and Takeharu. 

They made their way out of the school and Yuuji waved goodbye once they reached the bus stop. His two friends lived closer than he did, and he sighed as he settled down to wait for the next bus home. As he waited his mind naturally wandered back to today’s practice. He wondered if he could find out what class Semi was in and see if any of them had heard anything about their newest student. Coach was right when he called them all awful gossips, and that put a smile on Yuuji’s face. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to a text from Tsucchi asking for help with his English homework. Yuuji was so caught up in his messages that he didn’t notice the person walking towards the bus stop until they dropped down onto the bench beside him. 

He nearly dropped his phone in shock when he looked up to see who it was. Semi was sitting right beside him, neutral expression on his face as he pulled a hat down over his ears. “What bus are you taking?” It took a moment for Yuuji to realise the words were directed at him, and he answered in a daze. Why did he have such an effect on him? “Ah, I’m taking the 22. Sorry, I never caught your name during practice earlier.” The setter turned to look at him properly, something fierce in his brown eyes that made Yuuji’s heart thump louder. 

“Terushima Yuuji, second-year wing spiker.” They shook hands and Yuuji noticed how cold Semi’s hands were. Or maybe his own were just too warm. He always was close to overheating during intense training sessions or matches, his body naturally ran hot. That heat made him rash sometimes and often got him into trouble. Semi withdrew his hand and turned to stare forwards again with a murmured ‘nice to meet you’ and Yuuji made himself look back at his phone. He had gotten three more frantic messages from their libero, lamenting his hatred for languages. It raised a chuckle out of Yuuji as he text him back, promising to call him after dinner and help him out. 

A bus pulled up and Semi stood from his seat, sending a small wave Yuuji’s way before boarding. He managed to return it and then dropped his eyes downwards. The burning curiosity and need to know was overwhelming, that’s definitely why Semi affected him like this. If he could just find out a little bit of what happened that caused the setter to change schools in his final year then Yuuji was sure everything would pass. Or at least, he hoped it would. 

By lunchtime the next day the whole school knew about the arrival of Semi Eita, the setter from Shiratorizawa Academy. By the end of the day, Yuuji was sure that rumours for the reason behind his transfer would be flying wildly. But whatever rumours went around, Yuuji knew none of them would be from the volleyball team. Semi was one of theirs now, and they took their coaches words seriously. 

The welcoming party was a riot. Somehow Higashi had managed to smuggle a whole fresh cream sponge cake in his bag and didn’t squish it during the day. Between them all bringing food there was enough to feed three teams, but it was exactly what they needed. Over the course of their lunch period, Semi was properly introduced to everyone on the team. He immediately became the target of ‘old-man’ jokes because of his grey hair. They then discovered that he had a wicked tongue. It was great. Semi fit in perfectly. Yuuji went home with the newest Johzenji boys number in his phone and a wide grin on his face 

Wednesday morning practice was brutal. Coach decided that their stamina needed work and set them all running suicide drills as a warm-up. Needless to say, they all needed a shower before class. The week continued like normal, he had his own classes, spent lunch making sure none of his friends were in danger of failing and threw himself headfirst into preparing for the Interhighs during training. It didn’t take long for him to get over the thump in his chest when Semi smiled at him. They had far more important things to focus on. 

The volleyball team also became experts in ignoring rumours and dodging questions about their new teammate. If it rubbed Yuuji the wrong way he could only imagine how Semi felt about them. But they all unanimously refused to let it affect their playing, and by Friday he heard that Jiri had started making a list of the people who were spreading the hateful ones so the team could make them stop. 

When the following Friday rolled around and Semi had been a Johzenji student for two full weeks, the rumours had all but stopped. Yuuji wouldn’t deny that he was still deathly curious himself, but they all surely were. It didn’t matter though, because if Semi wanted them to know about what happened then he would tell them. That was good enough. 

After a two-hour-long team meeting two nights before the Interhigh Prelims started, the starting team line up was decided. Yuuji couldn’t deny how excited he was to be named on the starting team, although he did feel sorry for Takeharu. He had been a shoo-in for starting setter before Semi joined, but he didn’t hold any grudges. “Semi-san is a third-year after all, I’ll get my chance next year.” He and Kazuma bought him his favourite chocolate the next day anyway. 

Despite their three weeks of hard training, they lost in the semi-finals. They had fought hard but in the end, it wasn’t enough to beat Aoba Johsai. It was disheartening, and Yuuji could see the toll it took on their third-years. Especially Semi. While the rumours had all but stopped in school, here there was no escape from the whispers about their new setter. The team had all tried their best to be even louder than usual to drown them out, but it still wasn’t enough. 

Yuuji wished he could say he was surprised when Okudake and Nanase announced they wouldn’t be continuing to play volleyball during their Monday practice. It still hurt, a lot, but they had been expecting it. They were third-years now and had to focus on their school-work so they could get into university when they graduated. He somehow also wasn’t surprised when Semi admitted he wanted to keep playing, and automatically was nominated as the new team captain. The thing that finally did surprise him was when Semi asked him to be his vice. 

“Me? Are you sure?” The rest of the team seemed to readily agree with Semi’s choice, and even Hana, who was staying on as manager until the end of the year, admitted he was a good fit for the position. Yuuji felt an incredible amount of pride well up in him at the support of his teammates. “I’ll be the best vice-captain you’ve ever had Semi-san!” He was immediately tackled by Izaka with teasing cries of ‘you’re his only vice-captain dumbass’ but the grin stayed fixed on Yuuji’s face. It was hard saying goodbye to their old captain, but the light in Semi’s eyes set a fire inside of him and made him desperately want to work harder for the Spring High tournament. 

Under Semi’s captainship, Yuuji watched as their team began to change. They still played their two-on-two matches but they also played four-a-side games too. Coach happily let Semi lead their intensive workout sessions and drills. Once a week their practices turned into drills only, and Yuuji’s palms had never hurt more than after spending two hours hitting one hundred serves. Hana and Runa had a score sheet of how many everyone got within bounds, and they were going to do up a leaderboard. The competition only served to add fuel to their fire. 

They had a practice match against Dewaichi High and it was then that Yuuji first noticed just how much stronger they had gotten as a team. Coach would often scold them for their reckless plays and single-minded mentality on the court, but now their wildness had an underlying structure. With Semi at the helm, there came a method to their madness, and with it, they crushed their opponents into the dust. 

As the Spring High tournament approached Yuuji took his position of vice-captain in stride and got their coach to agree to a training camp. He made the case that their teamwork would only benefit from spending five whole days together, giving them time to bond and grow their trust in each other. Semi praised him for his thinking when they sat waiting for the bus together the next day, and Yuuji couldn’t help the hot blush that spread across his cheeks at the words. 

The training camp was a disastrous success. It only took about five hours for coach to regret his agreement, but by then it was already too late. The Johzenji team spent their mornings coming up with special signals they could use during matches to call the ball or indicate the kind of play they were going to try. Their afternoons were intense training sessions, packed with drills and competitions and penalties and matches that had them all paired up with everyone else at some stage or another. In the evenings they all ate together and shared stories of their childhoods or had debates over their favourite manga and tv shows. And then at night, they would stay up later than they should have playing games and making dares and embracing their chaotic teenage natures. 

Higashi had to climb the fire escape ladder to the roof of the gym and yell the worst curses he knew at the school building, Kazuma had to carry Tsucchi on his back for a whole day whenever they weren’t on the court, and Yuuji ended up giving Takeharu a hickey on his thigh when the setter refused a striptease. Somehow, either through manipulation or incredible good luck, Semi managed to avoid all of their worst dares and punishments. He spent the entire camp laughing at their idiocracy though, which definitely counted as a win. By the time the last day drew to a close and they all started making their way home, Yuuji was confident that despite the chaos the whole team had grown incredibly close because of it. He just hoped that their new connections would be enough to bring them further in the Spring High matches. 

After their camp, their volleyball practices became a little more serious. There were only a handful of weeks left until their first official match for the playoffs and it settled into all of them that they didn’t want to lose. They were automatically exempt from the first preliminaries, but that just meant that they could use that day to check out the competition. Yuuji was very much on board with that plan. The closer they came though, the more closed off and tense Semi grew. He went from openly laughing with the team and shrugging off misses to taking the burden of every mistake on his own shoulders. The one thing he never did was yell at them, although Hana certainly did enough of it anyway. 

One week before the first prelims were due to start Yuuji decided to do his job as vice-captain and figure out what was going on. They would only do well if the whole team was on the same page, and they especially needed their setter and captain to be open with them. So he went looking for him after the rest of the team had left practice on Monday evening. Semi was still in the gym, serving ball after ball over the net, each one hitting the floorboards with a resounding smack. He was an incredible player and an amazing captain. Yuuji had a feeling he knew what the problem was, but there was only one way to find out. 

“I’ll practice my receives with you.” The grey-haired setter jolted as Yuuji called out to him. He tried to protest but Yuuji was quicker, darting over to the other side of the net and lowering himself into a ready stance. If it had been any of his other teammates, Yuuji would have confronted them about the issue directly, but this was Semi. Semi who had been on a sports scholarship for a volleyball powerhouse school. Semi who had been a starting setter with one of the most powerful high school teams in recent years. Semi who had suddenly moved to Johzenji in his final year and had yet to tell anyone exactly the reason why. There was more to this, and Yuuji needed to show his captain what it meant to trust your team completely. 

He lost track of time as they practised, just the two of them. Semi hit serve after serve and Yuuji did his best to receive them. Then they did setting and spiking drills, moving the ball bag around the court so Yuuji could focus his aim. Hours later they were both exhausted, sitting in the middle of the court panting hard in their sweat-soaked shirts. Yuuji was going to call it quits for the night, but when he caught Semi’s gaze he saw tears in his eyes. That was enough to prompt him to shuffle closer, pressing their shoulders together and wrapping an arm around the third-years waist. It took another few minutes of heavy breathing before Semi finally broke his silence. 

“If we make it all the way to the finals, we’ll have to play Shiratorizawa.” It was a statement of fact. There was no universe in which Shiratorizawa didn’t make it to the Spring High finals. And for the last several years they had been unbeaten there too, going on to play at the national stage. Although Yuuji knew this, it was the first time he actually considered what that meant for Semi. He had been to nationals twice already, and yet in his final year of high school, he left the school that had the chance to win again to come to Johzenji. “I was actually a little bit relieved when we lost the semi-finals in the Interhighs. It was the first time I’ve ever lost to Aoba Johsai, but I wasn’t ready to face my old team at that stage.” Yuuji knew that this confession was something that Semi needed to get off his chest, so he simply nodded in encouragement and stayed silent. 

“I had a huge fight with Washijo-sensei a few weeks into the semester. I actually blew up in his face and yelled at him. He had made Shirabu-kun the starting setter for Nationals last year but I assumed it was for his benefit, to give him experience, and this year I would be starting again. But then he told me that I was only going to be the reserve setter from now on.” He started choking up and Yuuji felt his heart begin to ache in his chest at the pain in his captain’s voice. “Apparently, I’m too much of a risk on the court. Washijo-sensei wanted a setter who would utilise Wakatoshi-kun to his full potential, to blow our opponents away. I want to use tactical plays and change things up to keep the teams we play constantly on their toes.

So we had an argument and he suspended me for two weeks from the team and I realised that it wouldn’t make one bit of difference if I went back or not. Shirabu-kun was perfectly capable of doing exactly what Washijo-sensei wanted and the team already had another pinch server. I was totally expendable.” At this the tears began to fall from Semi’s eyes. Yuuji moved a little so he could wrap his other arm around the grey-haired setter in an awkward side hug. It wasn’t perfect but he felt Semi lean into him anyway as he sobbed. There was nothing he could do but hold him close and offer him a little comfort. 

After a few minutes, Semi took a deep breath and continued with his story, body still wrapped up in Yuuji’s arms. “My parents never really cared what school I went to, I only joined Shiratorizawa because of the volleyball team. So when I told them I wanted to move they just asked me what school I was going to go to instead. At first I didn’t care, all I wanted was to get away from the team who didn’t need me. But I still wanted to play volleyball, and part of me wanted to prove to Washijo-sensei that a team who plays to everyone’s strengths is more powerful than one that focuses one just player.” He started to pull away and Yuuji dropped his arms, only for Semi to turn around and grab his hands tightly in his own. 

“I chose Johzenji because this was the only team that didn’t have a third-year setter. As selfish as it sounds I didn’t want to have to fight for my position on the court. I just wanted to be able to play, to have a chance to prove myself.” There was such desperate sincerity in his words that Yuuji felt his own eyes begin to sting with unshed tears. If anything, Semi’s reasons for choosing Johzenji were the opposite of selfish. He didn’t want to take the spotlight from someone the way he had it stolen in Shiratorizawa. Yuuji definitely could understand that. 

It was silent for several heartbeats and Yuuji wondered if Semi was waiting for him to say something when the setter spoke up again. “I’m sorry for being so hard on the team. You all have such incredible potential and I wanted to bring it out so we had a chance of going far. But that was selfish of me too.” He sounded angry at himself, and Yuuji had had enough of just sitting and listening. 

“It was not selfish, it’s exactly what a good captain does. If you were selfish you would have made us all the kind of spiker you needed to get points across and show off, but you didn’t do that. You work so hard on the court to make sure we all shine, that we all get a chance to show people what we’re capable of.” Yuuji was surprised at how firm his words were, and the look of shock in Semi’s eyes clearly said the same. But he wasn’t finished yet. “Thanks to you our team is so much stronger and more collected than we ever were before. You indulge our chaotic play style instead of trying to tame us. And when you do things like a backwards setter dump or toss the ball to the blocker on the backline it makes us want to work harder and prove that the risks are worth it.” They were staring at each other now, and Yuuji could see the pain and regret in Semi’s eyes slowly melt away and were replaced with strength and determination. 

Yuuji grinned at him. “We’re going to go all the way to the finals, and you are going to look your old coach in the eye and show him that a setter’s true potential is only realised when they can bring out the best in their whole team.” There was a beat of silence, and then Semi was grinning too. He pulled Yuuji towards him suddenly and they crashed back onto the ground in an awkward hug. It didn’t matter though, because Semi was squeezing him tightly and Yuuji could feel the rapid pace of their hearts beating where their chests were pressed together. They were going to prove that sometimes it was worth taking a risk. 

Their practices for the rest of the week ran incredibly smooth. Coach Anabara shot him a knowing look on Wednesday morning when Semi was back to actively shouting encouragement and playing as wildly as the rest of the team. Yuuji just responded with a peace sign and then ran onto the court for his two-on-two match. Everyone was in high spirits and playing to the very best of their ability, and Yuuji couldn’t help the swell of hope in his chest that they might actually be able to make it all the way to the finals this year. 

On the day of the preliminaries, they decided that only five of them would go to watch the games and size up their competition. They didn’t want to draw too much attention to themselves, but they needed to have an idea of who they were going to be up against in the first round. As vice-captain, Yuuji automatically volunteered himself to go. He insisted that it was part of his job to make sure they were not going to be caught off guard. After several rounds of rock-paper-scissors, it was decided that the other four who would be coming with him were Kazuma, Higashi, Jiri and Tsucchi. 

The matches were interesting, there were a lot of teams with interesting new players and techniques. Yuuji spotted several teams who had lost their third years and others who still had that power and experience behind them. They watched the match between Kakugawa and Nishida with interest, having beaten the former team in the Interhighs. Yuuji would have loved the chance to play against the two-meter tall first year, but he heard that they had lost against Karasuno in the second round. There were rumours that there was something special about the first-years on the Karasuno team too, but they hadn’t managed to catch any of their games. Which was an oversight on his part, because it seemed like the former powerhouse team were finding their feet again and they were likely to face off against them in their matches. 

But still, by the end of the day, the five of them felt like they had learned a lot about a few of their possible opponents. Sure Yuuji and Kazuma lost a dare against the others and had to try and get the number of another team's female manager, which didn’t end well, but overall they had a good time and were ready to have fun playing their upcoming matches. Whatever happened, they were all going to do their best to make Semi proud. 

On the day of their actual matches, Yuuji woke up with an extraordinary amount of energy burning through his system. He was excited to play volleyball. His mother laughed at him and wished him luck in his matches as he dashed out the front door. There was a spark in him that he hadn’t felt in a while. The bus ride to the gym was rowdy as the whole team was giddy with excitement. Even a few stern words from Hana wasn’t enough to calm them down, and Yuuji caught Semi watching him with a glint in his eyes. They didn’t just want to win for the team, they all wanted to win for their captain too. 

When they arrived at the venue Yuuji, after much teasing from Tsucchi, tried again to get the attention of Karasuno’s pretty manager. Semi dragged him away in a headlock as Hana offered apologies to two of the team members who seemed pretty pissed at him. He laughed as his captain ruffled his hair and flicked him on the ear when they got inside, but Semi had a half-smile on his face that showed he wasn’t too upset. He did get an earful from Hana though, but that was normal by now. 

They ended up facing off against Karasuno in the first round. Yuuji regretted not having watched either of their matches in the first prelims because they were going a little blindly. They had heard about the freak quick that came out of nowhere, and they were all anticipating seeing it in person. But despite all that, they were confident that all their practising and their unique style was going to be enough to give them an edge. After all, there wasn’t much any team could do to prepare for what Johzenji brought to the court. 

It was an intense game. There was a thrill that came with playing volleyball against strong teams like this. Karasuno was certainly a force to be reckoned with. Yuuji knew from their faces that they were not expecting the chaotic style of play they had been paired up against. It was the kind of feeling that Yuuji savoured. What he really enjoyed was the confused looks that everyone in the stadium was throwing them when they conceded points. While other teams yelled ‘don’t mind’ or just yelled in general, Johzenji just laughed it off. Kazuma hit an overhand serve right into the net, despite all of their serving drills, and Higashi just pushed him around by the hair while Yuuji cheered them on. There was no point in getting caught up on mistakes that had already happened, it ruined the fun. 

They played a few rallies that seemed to always be just on the cusp of dropping. Karasuno were strong and fast, but they still got thrown off by Johzenji tactics. Semi pinched Yuuji’s cheek while Jiri fist-bumped him after he managed to get a spike from the backline after doing a running 180-degree turn. It was exhilarating. After a few more points they finally got to see the freak quick from Karasuno’s 9 and 10. They all exclaimed at the speed of it. Yuuji couldn’t help but feel more competitive after losing that point. It was something the rest of the team seemed to share. They let that energy drive them forward, scoring and losing points one-for-one.

After a few member changes on Karasuno’s behalf, the other team eventually took the first set. Despite it all, Yuuji didn’t feel disheartened. It probably had something to do with the small smile on their captains face. Semi hadn’t really done anything spectacular yet, just setting the ball to the best of his ability where they needed it the most. Even his serves had been tamer than he was capable of. None of them were worried about it. He clapped his hands softly and everyone’s attention immediately fell to him. 

“Now we have a feeling for their playstyle and capabilities. Their captain is very strong defensively, so if you can avoid serving or spiking to him try your best. Their number 11 has a high reach when he blocks, so feints and delayed attacks will get around him best. Number 10’s quick is an issue, but if you can’t block it then receive it. And most of all, they only have one player who can set the ball, try and force him to touch it and they’ll be left floundering.” The team stared at their captain with pure admiration in their eyes. It seemed to fluster him, as he reached a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. But Yuuji knew that while Semi’s words and advice were exactly what the team needed to hear to get their heads in the game, it was his job to get their energy levels spiked. 

“LET’S GET FIRED UP!” Around him his members yelled back with just as much enthusiasm, and he saw coach roll his eyes at them. With the blow of the referee’s whistle, the second set began. This time though, it was very different. While in the first set Semi had been on the court, touching the ball and setting up points, he had been very much a background player. Now though, his presence was overwhelming. It was like the first time they had seen him step into the gym all those months ago, his head was held high and his eyes glinted with something hungry. They were not going down without a fight. 

Playing at this level was fun, there was no other way Yuuji could describe it. The way his heart rate picked up as he dashed around the court, the others on the team a constant source of energy buzzing around him. It was also with a vicious sense of pride and satisfaction that he watched the Karasuno team falter under the sudden weight of Semi bearing down on them. He scored three service ace points in a row, pounding them into the hardwood floor of the court with a thump each time. The frustration on the other captain’s face was like a flame to the oil that burned in Yuuji’s veins. They were going to show them what it meant to play against Johzenji. 

All that mattered was that the ball didn’t hit the court, as long as it stayed up on Johzenji’s side they could smack it down on the other. The multitude of bruises on their arms and legs were marks of a game well played, things to be compared and honoured in post-match cooldowns. There was no doubt in Yuuji’s mind that they would all throw everything they had at this match, and win or lose they would come out satisfied. But they were not going to lose. Not today. 

Karasuno were predictable even when they did the unexpected. The most interesting thing about them was their freak quick. There was so much that Johzenji had yet to show. And as the points began to tick up, they all decided it was time to start shining.

Yuuji did a sliding save with his feet and Jiri jumped over him to spike it. He trusted his teammate not to land on him because the wing spiker had somehow managed to find all of them in record time during a game of blindfolded hide and seek. His spatial awareness for people around him was a special skill. 

Izaka blocked a powerful spike from Karasuno’s number 3, but he hadn’t been trying to stop it completely. Instead he just slowed it down enough for Higashi to appear behind him and smack it across the net. Their middle blocker was tall and broad enough to completely hide the wing spiker, which they had discovered after they all went for a walk after practice one night and genuinely believed they had lost Higashi. It was a simple thing that translated into a useful play. 

When Semi had pointed out that their opponents didn’t have anyone else who could set the ball, they all had the same idea. Karasuno wouldn’t be expecting their setter to spike. So after Tsucchi got a perfect receive on a spike from the baldie number 5, Yuuji watched gleefully as Semi held three fingers up in the air before sprinting away from the net. He could see it in their blonde middle blockers eyes that he recognised it was their setter running back, but couldn’t fathom what was about to happen. Kazuma moved from the backline to the net, jumping and tossing the ball backwards to where their captain was already mid-air. The ball connected perfectly with the centre of his palm, soaring cleanly over the net and over number 5’s stationary head to the empty space in the back of the court. The point tasted even sweeter accompanied by the growing desperation on the opposing team’s faces. 

Soon enough they had secured the second set for their own. They were all dripping with sweat and bursting with the desire to keep playing. Coach Anabara warned them about the final set. Karasuno had plenty of stamina and like them, they were the kind of team who could change if they got riled up. They would need to pull out all the stops to take this set and move on to the next round, but Yuuji wasn’t worried. Johzenji were a team that had no set playbook, no fall-back guarantees or comfort pairings. They all played together and knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, they had the kind of teamwork that relied on instinct rather than repetition. Whatever the opposing team was going to throw at them, they would return it with something they had never seen before. 

The third set was rough. Their energy levels were slowly draining and it seemed like Karasuno wasn't going to crack. But Johzenji were stronger than they looked, and they all had energy in reserve for the moments when they needed it most. When Higashi took a particularly hard hit to his knee as he dove to dig out a ball, coach decided to swap him out to rest. Yuuji felt the whole team recharge instantly as soon as Takeharu stepped foot on the court. His smile was blinding, eyes gleaming with the excitement that came with playing in a proper match. What was even better was the near certainty that Karasuno didn’t know what position Takeharu actually played. Because while he was subbing in for a wing spiker, in his soul he was a setter. And things were about to get interesting. 

Semi immediately set the ball to Takeharu for a back attack, and it scored a clean point right in centre court. It was the perfect cover-up. The fatigue in Yuuji’s muscles melted away at the wink his friend sent his way. They played a few more rallies, scoring more points than they lost and it finally seemed like they were going to pull ahead. But a few wonky receives left both teams tied again. It would only take a few more points for the game to end. 

Karasuno was marking Takeharu like a spiker, which was exactly what they wanted. Kazuma managed to get a fist to the ball before it dropped on their side of the court and Izaka sent it flying towards the black-haired setter who was on the line. Yuuji could see the way the other team’s blockers were eyeing him and Jiri, while also watching Semi. They were expecting Takeharu to toss the ball to their setter captain, and his posture as he jumped for the ball was just that. 

Only he was a setter too, and with practised ease, he knocked the ball across the net in a dump. It dropped softly onto the other side of the court and his feet had barely touched back down before Yuuji was jumping on his back in joy. Realisation dawned on Karasuno’s blonde middle blocker and captain at the same time, and Yuuji sent them both a peace sign. Three more points. 

The final points were hard-fought. Karasuno got two in a row before they managed to shut them out with a block. Two points to go. The next rally went on for ages, neither side willing to concede at this stage. It only ended when Takeharu and Semi both made a run forward to the net, the second-year tugging at the hair on the back of his head. Out of the corner of his eye Yuuji watched as Kazuma moved into position, and he mirrored his friend on the other side of the court. Semi tossed the ball to Takeharu, who tossed it over their captains head directly to the middle blocker behind him. Kazuma used a feint to get over the number 11’s high block, and the ball fell just before the tiny libero could reach it. Johzenji had reached match point. 

They conceded the next one as Tsucchi and Jiri nearly collided when going for the ball. Their libero got it but the receive was off and Yuuji’s spike went out of bounds. No matter though. They were still at match point. As long as they could get this one then they wouldn’t have to go to a deuce, and they would have won their first round. If there was ever a time to take a risk, it was now. And Semi knew it as well as they did. Yuuji could feel the adrenaline coursing through him at every connection with the ball. This was the most fun he had had in a very long time. His whole body tingled with the anticipation of what was to come next. 

And as Izaka got a perfect receive and the ball flew directly towards Semi, time seemed to slow down. They all watched their captain with pure focus, waiting for his signal. They were all subtle things, stupid quirks that would take intense focus from the other team to figure out. But Johzenji had memorised them all inside and out. So when Semi stuck his tongue out to the left ever so slightly, Yuuji opened up his energy stores and sprinted forward, hearing the synchronised thuds of his teammates' footsteps running with him. He jumped with everything he had left, not worrying about height or distance because he knew that Semi would give him the toss that he needed. Sure enough, the ball flew directly towards his hand and the blockers on the other side jumped just a fraction too late. Yuuji pushed all his strength and desire to win into his spike, sending the ball straight over number 10’s bright orange hair and right towards the edge of the court. He heard Karasuno’s captain call ‘OUT!’ and as he hovered above the net he clearly watched as the ball bounced exactly where he wanted it - on the end line. His feet collided with the floor at the same time the whistle blew, and then it blew again. 

Yuuji had scored the last point. Johzenji had taken the third set and beaten Karasuno. They won. Bodies collided with him and sent him sprawling backwards onto the floor. His teammates were screaming, pulling at his hair and his jersey and that was definitely Takeharu pressing a kiss to his cheek. The game was over and they had won. It still hadn’t sunk in as Hana and coach Abara congratulated them, not as they bowed to the Karasuno team and shook hands under the net, not as they greeted their supporters and made their way out of the gym and towards the changing rooms. It wasn’t until Semi pulled him aside, both of them sweaty and red-faced and exhausted, and wrapped his arms around Yuuji in a bone-crushing hug, that the buzz faded and he realised what that meant. They were going to play another game, another step closer to the finals. He squeezed his captain back with everything he could muster, a silent promise. They were going to win the next match too, whatever it took. 

Wakutani High was a very strong team. Their defence and coordination were well-practised, well-rehearsed. It was going to take plenty of creative plays to score against them. But creativity was Johzenji’s strong suit. With Higashi back on the court they had a good range of offensive hitters, and now was the time for them to call on their accuracy drills. 

They took the first set easily enough, but Yuuji could feel the pressure from across the net. The opposing captain had a steadying presence that kept the whole team anchored. It was going to take a lot more to rock the boat. Yuuji grinned and winked at Jiri as the second set started up. It was time to flaunt their more unique quirks. 

It only took a bit of careful monitoring to decide that Wakunan’s number 11 middle blocker was the easiest target for Yuuji’s plan. He was very tall but he had the innocence and inexperience of a first-year. As one of their rallies started getting too tiring to keep track of, Yuuji caught Semi’s eye and pointed behind him with two fingers as he moved into position at the net. The middle blocker was on him in a second. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jiri start shuffling to the left, until he was right behind Yuuji. Semi got the ball and tossed it towards Yuuji easily, he bent his legs to jump and then, he got the attention of his blocker and stuck his tongue out. The lights on the court glinted against the metal of his tongue piercing and he watched as number 11 physically froze as his brain buffered. Jiri spiked the ball and it soared cleanly over the net to score a point and finally end the rally. Yuuji retracted his tongue and grinned. His team was wild in more ways than one. And it was time to start proving it. 

When the scowling number 4 was running to spike a ball, Higashi was right in his line of sight. He tugged the hem of his shirt up to wipe the sweat from his neck and gave the opposing team a peek at the black ink curling across his abdomen. Their spiker faltered when he jumped, not getting high enough to connect with the ball properly and hit it into the net. Another point for Johzenji. Izaka punched his friend in the stomach and they both beamed at the other team. 

As they reached 20 points with their opponents only one behind, coach put Takeharu in as a pinch server for Jiri. It was a chance to shake things up a little bit, and Yuuji caught the spark in Semi’s eye at the new possible plays that were open to them. As long as they could keep scoring points that is. They managed to get a point from play and so Takeharu served again. He managed to hit it to an empty space on the court and the libero couldn’t save it in time. The whole team literally jumped for joy and with a smirk, Kazuma rushed over to pick up their black haired setter and planted a kiss right on the side of his mouth. Yuuji rolled his eyes as they got back into position. This was a play his two friends had taken to calling ‘second-hand embarrassment’. It only worked against other teams, but it was definitely a good one. 

Their play paid off in the form of all the Wakunan team trying not to look at the setter-blocker pair whenever they stood close together on the court. Which meant that they missed how Takeharu was in the perfect position for a setter dump with Kazuma running in as a decoy spiker. The ball dropped delicately on the other side of the net, and now Johzenji only had two points left to score to win. 

In the end, it was a perfect service ace from Semi that secured them their match point. The other team had no chance to even react before the whistle blew to signal the end of the game. They all leapt at their captain, his smug grin breaking into a laugh as the team enveloped him in a sweaty hug. They had won their quarter-final. Now there was only one team left between them and the people Semi had left behind. Only this match wasn’t going to be easy. 

Aoba Johsai had beaten them the last time they faced off in a semi-final. The stinging loss from the Interhighs was still fresh in all of their memories. But they were not the same team as they were a few months ago. They were stronger now, their trust in one another was enough to bolster their courage and raise their hopes. Aoba Johsai were a very difficult team to fight against, but Johzenji had the strength and fortitude to see them all the way to the end. It was going to be fun. 

The most troublesome person on the opposing team had to be their setter captain, one Oikawa Tooru. Yuuji knew that beneath his plastered on smile and shy act there was a hunger to win. He also found out just how low the brunette was willing to stoop in an attempt to gain the upper hand. The first day of the tournament the Johzenji team had pretty much kept to themselves, a few of them watching other matches if they had the chance. Semi had never gone into the stands. While they might have forgotten in the heat of their matches yesterday, it became clear that a lot of people were still talking about how Semi Eita had left Shiratorizawa. 

“I mean, I can understand wanting to get away from that awful Ushiwaka, but really, Johzenji?” The words rang clear as crystal through the gymnasium corridors as Yuuji and the rest of the team made their way towards the changing rooms. There was laughter, the mean kind, and then Oikawa kept speaking. “You’d think if he wanted to win he would have moved to a school that actually had a chance.” Beside him Yuuji felt their captain tense at the malicious undertone lacing the words. The crowd parted easily until they caught sight of their newest opposition, one hand resting on his hip and the other three starting third years gathered around him. As much as he wished to retort back, it wasn’t his place, so he bit his tongue and Johzenji kept walking. 

But as they passed Oikawa, who was watching them with a piercing gaze, Semi slowed down enough to meet the other captain’s eyes. “We have a better chance than you do at taking down Shiratorizawa. After all, how many of your team members have ever been to Nationals?” In true Johzenji fashion, Yuuji and the rest of the team followed up their captain's words with a chorus of ‘ooohs’ and laughter. Whatever reaction Oikawa had been hoping for, he wasn’t going to get it from them. Mind games only worked if you let them. 

With a smirk, Semi turned back and picked up his pace again, throwing an arm over Yuuji’s shoulders as they walked the last of the distance to their changing room. The weight of it settled him into himself. This was an important match. They were going to have to rely on each other more than ever to overcome the challenge they were about to face. But Yuuji knew as he looked around at his teammate’s faces, that they were all prepared to cross every barrier and overcome every obstacle Aoba Johsai could put in their way. They were going to win this time, and Johzenji were going to face Shiratorizawa in the finals.

They lost the first set. Not for lack of trying on their part that was for sure. But Oikawa was a difficult player to deal with. He used his teammates like a well-oiled machine, moving them around just how he needed them to score points. Johzenji scored plenty of their own, but they had only just gotten warmed up when the set ended. No matter, they were all sufficiently riled up now. The next two sets would be theirs. 

It became easier to find cracks in Aoba Johsai’s team dynamic when they subbed in a new wing spiker. Yuuji immediately knew that he was going to be trouble, but that was the opening they needed. None of the third-year players on their opponent's team were easily flustered. In fact, Yuuji had gained a sense of respect for the blasé attitude of their number 2 and 3. But their number 16 was a wild card, pushing his own teammates out of the way to get the ball and lashing out when his spikes didn’t score. Coach Anabara called a timeout when the score was 10:8 to Aoba Johsai to give them a minute to compose themselves. 

Yuuji knew exactly what they needed to do. “Hey Kazuma-kun? Don’t you think their new spiker looks a bit like the bad deer from Bambi?” The entire team looked at him with mild confusion but his friend just smiled and nodded. He immediately knew what Yuuji was hinting at.

“You’re right Teru-chan, and doesn’t their first-year middle blocker kinda look like a turnip with that hair of his?” Everyone else quickly caught on, and when they stepped back onto the court with a shout Yuuji had a feeling things were about to take a turn in Johzenji’s favour. 

Sure enough, the spiker who Oikawa kept referring to as ‘Mad Dog-chan’ was very easy to rile up with taunts and comments. He responded with growls and always hit the ball too hard on his next spike and sent it out of bounds. Still, he had an insane inner spike and he was able to hit the ball after running parallel to the net, which was nearly impossible to deal with. But if there was one thing their team was good at, it was adapting to the challenges. 

Teasing the first-year middle blocker was even easier. He seemed to be desperate to prove himself on the court and by distracting him with conversation his blocks got a little looser. All the while Johzenji were steadily collecting points from play, and when it was time for Semi to serve Yuuji let out an excited laugh. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins, the burn making everything seem a little sharper as they played. 

The second set went to a deuce, but Johzenji managed to wrestle the win away from their opponents. Oikawa had tried a setter dump after Semi used one to score a point, but Izaka had been ready for it and sent the ball straight up in the air for Higashi to spike it over the brunette captains head. It was clearly written on Oikawa’s face that he had finally accepted that the Johzenji team they were playing against today were much stronger than the one he had faced in the Interhighs. And Yuuji let that expression push him to want to win even more. Nothing good ever came from underestimating your opponents. 

As they began the third set, the tension was incredibly high. Johzenji managed to take the lead at first with their continued distractions and taunting of Aoba Johsai’s number 12 and 16. But after the crazy wing spiker was subbed out for a bit it seemed like he got a telling off from their number 6. Yuuji had kept a careful eye on the rough interaction on the sidelines, and got the feeling that there was something about to change. And he was right, because as soon as number 16 stepped back on the court his attitude had shifted, and with number 6 coming in as a pinch server they managed to catch up far too quickly.

As they started to fall behind the power that was Aoba Johsai, coach called for another time out. This was their last one. Semi had fallen mostly silent during this set, and the rest of the team also seemed to be slipping into a similar mindset. That wouldn’t do at all. One of Johzenji’s biggest strengths was their energy and unpredictability, and their ability to read one another in a split second to decide on a play. They needed to bring that back. 

“Right no more moping around! This is volleyball, it’s what we’re good at and it’s supposed to be fun! If you’re not having fun while you’re playing then what’s the point? This match is far from over, and until now we’ve all just been playing it safe.” With the weight of all his teammates eyes on him, Yuuji drew himself up taller and grinned widely, meeting everyone’s eyes in turn. He looked to Semi last, holding his gaze for a moment longer. When the ref blew the whistle to signal the end of the time out, Yuuji raised a fist into the air. “LET’S GO ALL OUT!” Everyone else responded with a loud cry of their own as they bounced back onto the court. 

Everyone had taken to calling them the party team because no matter the circumstances or outcomes of their matches, Johzenji were always in high spirits. A loss was a loss and it just made them want to win ever more the next time around, while a win charged them up with a passion to keep pushing it until they could go no further. They were known to be wild and unpredictable, for taking risks at times when any other team would stick to safer bets. With Semi at the helm, the team was able to focus their energies into powerful plays and combinations that were different every time. Where before they were untethered and the chaos often took over, the presence of their captain gave them a touchstone to keep themselves in check. But even though there was an underlying structure to the team, Johzenji would never let themselves be called boring. 

Oikawa was serving now. He had a crazy powerful serve that was hit-and-miss for whether it landed inside the lines or not. Yuuji felt himself settle into a ready stance as the whistle blew and the ball was thrown high into the air. From his position, even though he couldn’t see his teammates around him he could feel their energy buzzing across his skin. 

Tsuchiyu Arata and his fierce determination to receive every ball he could.

Izaka Nobuyoshi and his instincts that could shut out some of the most unpredictable attacks. 

Numajiri Rintarou and the speed he could appear anywhere on the court.

Higashiyama Katsumichi and his constant, unwavering stamina that kept them all going.

Futamata Takeharu and the joyful energy and weightlessness he filled each of them with. 

Bobata Kazuma and his droll humour that reminded them all not to take things seriously. 

And Semi Eita, whose presence on the court drove them all to want to be even better.

Their captain who watched how they played, who teased and had fun while on the court and used that to bring out the best in each of them. Their leader with his incredible game sense and athletic ability who was never afraid to take a risk on them. Their unwavering support who stood with them for every play, every touch of the ball, every successful spike, every missed receive. Semi took the wild, raw potential of this Johzenji team and he concentrated it into something stronger and more focused. He encouraged each of them to test their limits, to jump higher and run faster and hit harder. 

As Oikawa’s hand connected with the ball and sent it hurtling through the air towards them, Yuuji took the feeling that had been growing in his heart for the last few months and set it free, letting it scorch every inch of him until he was on fire, burning bright enough to blind his opponents across the net. He took a deep breath in and tasted the expectations and pressure from the crowd, let the white noise of the gymnasium drown out his thoughts and felt the weight of his body bearing down on the soles of his feet. 

He knew his teammates like he knew himself. He trusted them with everything he had and knew that they did the same in return. Terushima Yuuji cried out as the ball connected with Tsucchi’s arms and went skyward, a shout of pure joy at the feeling of standing on this court and playing volleyball like this. He let his instincts take over, trusting the months of intense training, late-night sleepovers and lazy lunchtimes with his teammates, felt it flow through him and guide him to exactly where he needed to be. Jiri connected with the ball, tossing it overhand to Semi. Yuuji jumped before his captain had even touched the ball - before he had even seen the spiker move. But the toss came to him anyway, and he smacked it straight down in front of Oikawa’s feet. 

As the whistle blew and he locked eyes with the captain across the court, Yuuji already had a smile on his face. Around him were calls from his team, a slap on his back and a hand in his hair. There was nothing that was going to come between this Johzenji team and a place in the finals. Not even the sea of white turquoise staring them down. 

They started to go all out. There was an unspoken agreement that if any of them were able to stand by the end of this match then they wouldn’t have done enough. Every dive and dig and block and spike was given 100% of their energy and focus. Every collision with the hardwood floor to keep the ball up was worth it for the chance it gave the team to try and score another point. The game was tit-for-tat. Neither Aoba Johsai nor Johzenji could pull ahead, every point conceded was followed by one scored. Yuuji barely had the time to stop and breathe - the burn in his chest felt so good. He was so alive at this moment. 

Takeharu came in as a pinch server, and they all charged up from his smile. His first serve hit the top of the net and barely made it over, but it was a point anyway. The next one was better, the other team’s libero made a spectacular save to connect with the ball. Every spike was blocked and every block was received, back and forth in a long rally that was dizzyingly fast. A receive went skyward and came over to Johzenji’s side, a chance ball. Kazuma got under it and passed it to Semi, who sent it flying towards Takeharu for a quick. But the blockers were already there, and at the last second his black-haired friend set the ball directly above him instead. Yuuji’s instincts just knew it was for him, so he rushed forward and jumped, spiking the ball over the net. It landed, and when he got his feet under him again Yuuji felt his heart thudding in his chest. 

“You scared the shit out of me dude!” He pointed at the setter with a yell, and all he got in return was a peace sign and a grin. Takeharu had trusted that Yuuji would be there. Even without a signal or a call, he knew that his friend would connect with the ball and send it flying. That feeling added fuel to the fire that was blazing through him. Every inch of his skin was alight with it, and Yuuji relished it. 

Aoba Johsai got the next point back, but Johzenji was still one ahead. Exhaustion tried to worm its way into all of their muscles as each point scored was the result of a rally back and forth. Both teams were playing as if each point was the one to win the game. As they drew closer and closer to 25, that became more and more true. If either of them could pull away the match would be all but over, so no one was willing to let it happen. 

With Higashi up to serve, Izaka decided to get them all pumped up a little more. Just before the whistle blew to signal their spiker to serve, the tall blocker yelled out in a triumphant voice “Whoever lets this point drop has to buy ice-cream after practice for a week!”. That was enough to set all of their competitive spirits even further into overdrive. Because as much as playing in an Actual Important Volleyball Match against a strong team made them want to win, they were always ten-times more competitive when they were playing to win something from each other. 

Yet again, the rally of the ball back and forth over the net was extended and exhausting. But then Aoba Johsai’s number 16 did his crazy cross spike and it rebounded off Semi’s arms and out of bounds. The teams were tied again. For the briefest second Yuuji thought he saw despair flash in their captain's eyes, but Johzenji were nothing if not men of their words. “SEMI-SAN OWES US ALL ICE-CREAM! I personally like the soft serve vanilla in a cone with strawberry sauce and lots of sprinkles.” Just like that, with Jiri hanging off his shoulders the light in the grey-haired setter’s eyes flickered back to life, and Yuuji let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. 

The next point went to Aoba Johsai, bringing them to match point. But Johzenji scored their own back immediately afterwards with a spike from Semi. Another deuce. The other team's coach called a timeout and Yuuji’s shoulders sagged with relief as they shuffled off to the side. Hana watched him with worry as he drained half a water bottle in one go before grabbing a towel to rub the sweat from his face that was threatening to drip into his eyes. The fire that was burning through him was still heating up. He didn’t even notice that people were talking to him until his face was being held in a pair of cool hands and Yuuji nearly tipped forward to get closer to the contact.

It was Semi, his thumbs brushing anxiously over Yuuji’s cheeks. Vaguely he thought of their first meeting, that night at the bus stop after practice where Semi’s hand had been cold in his own as they shook. Semi’s face looked pinched. Yuuji just wanted to see him smile. 

“Coach, I think Terushima-kun needs to switch out. He’s overheating.” No! Yuuji couldn’t afford to sit out, not when the match was so nearly over. But his protests were ignored, and Takeharu took his place on the court. His friend promised that he would be back in no time. Yuuji sat on the bench between Hana and coach Anabara with a cooling pack on the back of his neck and strict instructions to keep drinking water. He did as he was told, and watched the game go on. 

The two teams were as evenly matched as humanly possible. For every point Aoba Johsai scored, Johzenji got the next one back. A break needed to come soon or else the team was going to collapse. Aoba Johsai had far more substitutes to replace their exhausted players, but they didn’t make any changes. No one wanted to stop playing. Yuuji understood. The liquid fire that had been coursing through his veins had started to cool, turning to molten lava slowing down his heart. If he didn’t get back on the court soon it was going to turn to rock, leaving him unable to move ever again. 

Finally, Johzenji pulled ahead by one point for the first time. The number 16 on the other side had gone for an unexpected quick down the centre, but Kazuma and Izaka both rushed from their opposite sides of the court and stabilised each other for a block. This was their chance. Yuuji’s sluggish limbs started to ache when coach placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “We’re counting on you.” Takeharu nodded at him with fierce determination in his eyes when they traded places again, and Yuuji’s blood began boiling as he settled into position. They were going to end this match. 

“We’re going to play more than anyone else here!” His voice echoed around the court, settling into the exhausted muscles and aching bones of his teammates. This was their chance to prove that they were good enough to stand on the court and show what they were made of. Across the net, Yuuji could see the grim determination on their opponent's faces and he grinned right back at them. No matter the outcome of this play, he was going to have fun and play to the best of his abilities. 

No one was willing to let the ball drop. Yuuji lost track of how many times it flew back and forth, how many near misses were saved by both teams. Aoba Johsai was truly a team worth playing, and that just made him fight even harder. While his timeout had given him a chance to cool down, this constant play had him burning up again. There was pain underneath the adrenaline, starting to eat away at him as he continued to pour every ounce of himself into the match and keeping the ball up. 

Higashi spiked the ball over the net and Aoba Johsai’s number three managed to get a hand to it, but it was sent flying off to the side of the court. For a brief moment Yuuji thought that was going to be it, when suddenly Oikawa was there. He threw himself at the ball, setting it directly to their number 4 ace from outside the court, parallel to the net. It was an incredible toss, and an incredible spike. But their captain was reliable too. Semi got an arm to the ball, keeping it up but it spun off towards the backline. Jiri let out a near growl as he ran after the ball, hitting it from the backline. It went over and their opposing libero managed to get it, but it was low and smacked into the net. Yuuji watched as the number 16 directly opposite him planted his feet and got a hand to the ball, tossing it up and over to their side of the court. Kazuma received it and sent the ball towards Semi, who was right at the net. 

Yuuji felt it, the moment the world shifted. 

The exhaustion was wearing on all of them, their thighs were cramping, their knees and elbows ached and their palms stung from the smack of the ball against the skin. Yuuji had seen his fellow second years at their highest and lowest points. He had watched Takeharu collapse after hours of drills and suicide runs, he iced Tsucchi’s shoulders when he spent hours practising a rolling dive, he held Kazuma’s hand as he got his nose reset after he broke it crashing into a wall from exhaustion, he rubbed Jiri’s back as he threw up from heatstroke after a summer training camp. He knew all of their limits like he knew his own. But he had never seen Semi reach that point. He had more training and experience than them, he never let himself crash. Right now though, Yuuji watched as their captain hit his wall. 

Semi got his hands on the ball, setting it up for a toss, but something cracked inside him and his fingers didn’t connect right. The ball flew up, but it was short. The look of panic and despair in the setter’s eyes had barely registered before Yuuji was running. He had nothing left to give, everything he had was burnt out and his body screamed in pain as he pushed it harder. His positioning was all wrong, he was approaching the ball from the side and the blockers were right there, waiting for him. Yuuji refused to back down. Launching himself upwards he locked his eyes on the ball that was beginning to fall down. He turned himself to the side, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to land like this and not caring. 

Hands appeared in the corner of his vision as Aoba Johsai’s three-person block jumped up to shut him out. Yuuji was not going to let that happen. Johzenji were a team that played for fun, who took risks and wove chaos into their games. They also knew how to tough it out, even when the times weren’t fun. They were quick and adaptable, taking every challenge and failure in stride. This was the strength that Yuuji pulled on as he connected with the ball. In a poor attempted imitation of the number 16’s insane inside cross, Yuuji used the edge of his palm to slam the ball sideways across the block in front of him. It clipped the fingers of the first-year number 12 and he saw Oikawa appearing from behind the block, moving to receive the ball. 

Yuuji couldn’t watch the ball any longer as he began to hurtle downwards towards the court. There was no time to try and correct his posture, so he just braced himself for impact with the hardwood floor. It never came. Instead a solid body caught him as he fell. They staggered with the force of Yuuji’s whole weight crashing down on them, but they didn’t hit the ground. Yuuji felt blessed cool relief against his fiery skin, and turned to face his saviour. 

Semi looked down on him with such intense focus and worry that had Yuuji not already been burning up it would have set his face and heart alight. As it was, all he could do was sink into the strength of his captain holding him up. He had caught him. There was an arm around his back and another around his legs, and a thigh braced against his own. His consciousness began to slip as his adrenaline evaporated and intense pain shot through every nerve in his body. Yuuji felt tears gather and fall from his eyes as he stared up at the grey-haired man holding him. The only thing he could hear was the static of his blood thundering through his body and the screams of agony from his muscles. 

He was suddenly no longer in Semi’s arms, but being hoisted up into the air by several others. They tossed him up once and then set him down, bracing him between their sweaty bodies. Yuuji looked around to see the shining, exuberant faces of his teammates glowing down at him. The pure, unbridled joy that they were radiating slammed into him at top speed. His lungs deflated and his heart stopped and everything went silent inside him.

A beat. Then another.

Then Yuuji was screaming. Anguish and pain mixed evenly with elation as the realisation kickstarted his heart again. They had won. Johzenji had beaten Aoba Johsai. They were going to the finals. His team crushed around him with arms and legs getting tangled, happy tears and laughter flowing easily. Yuuji was a supernova, exploding and releasing everything he had ever felt into the minimal space between the press of his body against the others with extreme heart. He had never felt something quite like this. 

They bowed and shook hands with the Aoba Johsai team. Yuuji wasn’t entirely sure how his legs were still holding him up. The cheers from their supporters wrapped around them as they thanked them all. Their banner hung proudly from the stands, ‘Strength and Fortitude’. For a while, Yuuji had questioned the slogan for their team. They were more wild and free than sturdy and dependable, but he supposed he understood it now. There was a certain amount of strength required to have fun while you played, and no matter how hard the challenge the Johzenji team faced it head-on and gave their all. Maybe it suited them after all. 

His legs completely locked up as soon as they had finished changing and the whole team laughed at him as he landed on his ass on the tiled floor. He knew they were worried about him really, and he just laughed along and accepted the piggyback from Izaka back to the bus. They all slept on the drive back, bodies finally coming down from the high of the day and crashing. When they reached the school Hana and Runa had to wake them up and haul them off the bus and into the gym. They had a short meeting, mostly just coach Anabara telling them he was proud of them before giving them all strict instructions about how to take care of themselves tonight. The finals were tomorrow after all. 

Yuuji’s mother picked him up from school. In fact, all of their parents showed up to collect them and bring them home. Coach must have contacted them all while they were passed out on the bus. His mother ruffled his hair and gave him a hug before dragging him to the car. He waved goodbye to his teammates and they all waved back as enthusiastically as they could manage. They were all at the end of their endurance after that match, but Yuuji had faith in how quick they could all recover. Their training camp had been just as intense at times, and they all did that for five days with minimal sleep in between. Although, as he found himself nearly drifting off again on the drive home, he supposed the emotional toll of today was much higher than they were used to. 

After eating three meals worth of food and drinking several bottles of water, Yuuji’s father forced him to take an ice bath. Coach had told them to ice their muscles and Yuuji had been fine with that, but this was too far. But his father had been a soccer player in his youth and there was no arguing with him. So he suffered through it and made sure to complain loud enough that his parents would hear him from downstairs. But the freezing water doused the last of the heat in his veins and eased some of the aches in his joints. Then he had a hot shower and groaned out loud as the feeling returned to his muscles. It wasn’t pleasant. The things they did to do what they loved. His parents helped him rub cooling gel into the muscles of his back and legs, and made him drink more fluids before sending him to bed. It was eight pm. Yuuji knew he was going to pass straight out as soon as he lay down. 

The next morning he wasn’t as sore as he could have been, which was definitely a blessing. He still felt a little weary, but he knew that once he was back in the gymnasium he would shake it right off. His parents dropped him off at the school and promised to see him later. They were coming to watch the match, and Yuuji bounced over to his teammates with an extra spring in his step. Everyone was in high spirits, a good night's rest and eating their body weight in food seemed to have done the trick to prepare them for today. It was going to be their toughest match to date, and with five sets to play Yuuji just hoped they could all hold out until the end. 

Semi was late. They were all getting a little worried when he still hadn’t shown up ten minutes after the bus was supposed to leave. Yuuji had their captain's number pulled up on his phone and was about to call him when a car pulled up and the grey-haired setter stepped out. He waved to whoever was driving and then ran over, bowing in apology. Coach waved it off and they all quickly piled onto the bus to head to the gymnasium. Semi tried to sit in one of the single seats but Jiri bumped him into one of the paired seats and took the single for himself with a grin. Yuuji quickly claimed the seat beside the captain and when everyone was belted up they set off. To shake off some of the nervous energy that was rattling around them, Yuuji convinced Hana to connect her phone to the radio and soon enough they were singing at the top of their lungs to party tunes. They managed to get Semi to do the solo part in one of the emo rock songs he listened to, and after that the last of the tension melted away. 

The atmosphere was incredibly different today. There were far more people in the crowds, and the match was going to be televised. That alone got Yuuji’s blood pumping faster. He was going to have to pace himself today if at all possible, the last thing he wanted was to overheat and have to sit out again. 

It was never going to be hard to pick out the Johzenji team from a crowd, not with their bright yellow uniform tracksuits. They all picked up on Semi’s anxious vibes immediately as they began walking to the gymnasium. No words were needed and they fell into formation around him, putting themselves between their captain and the whispers of the crowd. Yuuji took the lead, with Kazuma to his right and Takeharu on his left. Semi was right behind them, with Jiri to his left and Higashi to his right. Izaka and Tsucchi brought up the rear of the pack, their size difference always a fun combination. As they walked the team were loud and rambunctious, arguing about ridiculous things with plenty of wild gestures. It was a shield, blocking out the stares and rumours that followed their captain around. Yuuji wished everyone would just get over it already. 

As they changed into their uniforms everyone showed off their new collections of bruises and marks on their skin. Tsucchi was in first place, as usual, but Jiri was a surprisingly close second. Before they left they took a group photo in the dressing room, everyone squished together pulling stupid faces until they were doubled over with laughter. And then it was time to face the crowds. 

They warmed up thoroughly, making sure they were loose and limber and prepared for the long fight ahead. It was when the gym doors opened and the Shiratorizawa team walked in that Yuuji first saw a look of fear cross Semi’s face. It made his gut twist unpleasantly, and he turned to face the powerhouse school with a set jaw and squared shoulders. The rest of the team followed his lead. Semi was their captain now, their setter, their enabler and their handler wrapped into one. If the people who had driven him away wanted to get to him, they would have to get through the rest of Johzenji first. 

There was a moment where the Shiratorizawa team engaged Johzenji in a staring contest from across the gym. Yuuji let a smirk dance across his lips and raised an eyebrow in their direction. He may not be overly tall or broad, but he knew he had a presence that made people want to look at him, for better or worse. In particular, the number 10 with the wonky bangs seemed to be glaring holes into Yuuji’s head, so he caught his gaze and sent a wink his way. It was enough to startle him into taking half a step backwards, and Yuuji counted that as a win. But then the opposing team’s coach called them to start warm-ups and the players in white and maroon turned away. 

Coach Anabara called them all over for a brief moment before they started their serving drills. “You know already that Shiratorizawa’s coach and I used to play volleyball together in school.” Jiri let out a gasp and clutched a hand to his chest as if he was shocked by the news, which earned him a glare and the rest of the team laughed under their breath, waiting for coach to continue. “Well, after I started coaching at Johzenji last year the two of us made a bet. I know you already have plenty of reasons to want to win this match, but if we do win then he has to take me out for wagyu beef and buy me new training shoes.” At that the team actually laughed out loud, even Hana joined in. They were already going to give their everything to win here today, but victory always tasted sweeter when there were things at stake. 

They went through their drills and warm-ups well aware of the eyes that followed their every movement - that followed their captain’s every movement. Semi was quiet, hitting the ball with intense focus every time. While Yuuji knew that this match held something deeply personal for the setter, he also knew that they couldn’t let him wall himself away from the rest of the team. Their teamwork and trust was the most reliable thing about them. Even when their plays were messy and they took dangerous risks on the court, there was always the comfort that there would be a bright flash of yellow at their backs. It didn’t always work out, but they had grown so much closer and could read the smallest change in each other's movements. Whatever happened they were there for one another, they brought out the best in one another. They just needed to make sure Semi knew that too. 

“Who wants to make a bet that I can hit the ball exactly on the end line?” Kazuma rested a ball on his hip, watching the players across the net with sharp eyes. Higashi bet against him, teasing him for all his failed serves in the past. They decided that the loser would have to get a haircut of the winner’s choosing. Yuuji felt the eyes of the crowd begin to slowly shift away from Semi and towards the chaos that was the rest of the Johzenji team. He grinned and volunteered to be the referee for the bet. Might as well get a chance to feel out the atmosphere on the other side of the court. 

His friend made it nowhere near the end line with his serve, earning him two wandering hands in his hair as the spiker tried to figure out what he would get him to do with it. As he straightened up to return to the Johzenji side, Yuuji felt a strong stare on his back. Turning around he locked eyes with Shiratorizawa’s number 10 again. He winked a second time, which seemed to infuriate the player enough to march over and stand in front of him. The brunette was a little bit shorter than Yuuji, which surprised him a little considering the height of the rest of the team. There was something intense about him though, something glinting in his eyes as he stared down Yuuji with a tight-lipped grimace. Yuuji just raised an eyebrow and waited. He didn’t have to wait long. 

“Semi-san is a very strong volleyball player. Why would he leave us for you?” There was anger lacing those words. It came as a surprise to Yuuji that his old team didn’t know why Semi had left. Surely an argument with the team’s sensei and a suspension from play wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. But when he thought about it, Semi had never said when or where he had argued with the old man, Yuuji had just assumed it happened during practice or at a team meeting. If that wasn’t the case then it made sense his team just thought he disappeared. It was also at that moment that he realised who he was talking to. This must be Shirabu, the setter who replaced Semi on the team. 

“You’re right when you say that Semi-san is incredibly strong. Stronger than you are, probably. So maybe you should be asking yourself why you were made starting setter instead of him? And why he chose to move to a team that lets him play volleyball the way he wants to, and have fun while doing it.” The emotions that flitted across Shirabu’s face came and went in the blink of an eye. Yuuji smirked and winked at the setter in front of him before walking away without a second glance, back to where his own team were waiting for him. He wasn’t picking a fight he assured himself, just giving the boy who chased Semi away something to think about before the match. 

They finished their drills and the tension in the gym skyrocketed. There were cameras everywhere, recording their every move and broadcasting it around the country. Yuuji was tempted to look for his parents in the stands but kept his eyes focused on the team across from him as they lined up and took their bows. Semi and Ushijima approached the referee for the coin toss and to shake hands. It seemed like everyone was holding their breath on the off-chance they would catch the words exchanged between the two ex-teammates. But there was nothing much said. They shook hands, the coin went into the air and then the captains returned to their teams. 

Semi’s shoulders were rigid and his hands were clenched into fists. “We’re serving first.” That was a relief. They needed a chance to get into the game before they had to deal with Ushijima and his killer serve. Tsucchi was basically vibrating on the spot, nervous anticipation about receiving a serve from one of the top-three volleyball aces in the country. They all believed he would do his very best, and they would all be right there beside him to keep the ball from touching the court on their side of the net. Coach said a few words and Hana gave them an impassioned speech too. She was filled with just as much of a desire to win as any of them. 

As they lined up and prepared for their introductions before stepping onto the court, Yuuji placed a hand on Semi’s shoulder and spun the captain around to face the rest of them. He offered him a smile, a small one that he hoped conveyed how much trust the team had in him, and showed that they were all right there with him. Semi closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, and then opened them again. Now there was determination there, more than the fear from earlier. It was almost good enough. So Yuuji stuck his tongue out and flicked the metal ball against his teeth before speaking, loud enough that the whole team could hear. “Now remember, Johzenji are the ones in yellow. Don’t go tossing to the guys across the net.” He heard Takeharu muffle a snicker and Kazuma poked him in the back. But the teasing words were enough, and just like that, their captain was back with them - one hundred percent. He clipped Yuuji across the ear, gave him a smile, and turned to the front. The match was about to begin. 

The emotion that Yuuji had set free from his heart yesterday flared into being again. This time though it was not a raging, all-consuming inferno that threatened to scorch from the inside out. It was a small, contained fire that started in his chest and spread out slowly until he felt it thrumming under his skin. The heat was welcome, it burned away his worries and doubts and left no room for second-guessing. It awakened his instincts and lit his trust aflame like a homing beacon in his heart. He let it fuel him, pushing his legs forward until he was standing on the court with pride written on his face. This was the most important match he would ever play, no matter if they won and travelled to Nationals. 

They were going to play with all the strength and fortitude that had carried them this far. They were going to play with the freedom and chaos that defined them as a team. They were going to play for Semi, play to prove a point, play to show that a team was stronger with trust and when they all stood together on equal footing. 

Leaving his scholarship in Shiratorizawa and their serious plays behind had been a risk. Coming to Johzenji and becoming captain of the team who played for the fun of it had been a risk. Glancing around at his teammates, his friends, Yuuji knew they all were going to shine today under Semi’s steady hands and constant attention. Today Johzenji would demonstrate just what it meant to play with fire.

After all, to win big, sometimes you had to take big risks.

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it to the end awesome! Congrats for slogging through my bullshit! Please leave kudos and a comment because validation is a writer's best friend. Also if you're wondering "Aimee wtf where's the rest of it?" then yeah...that's fair. 
> 
> Honestly, I couldn't bring myself to write any more volleyball. Like, holy shit I wrote so much! So yeah the ending is open for y'all to interpret as whatever outcome you would like, but if you want to know my personal headcanon storyline just ask in the comments and I will happily rant until I run out of characters. Or hmu on my [Tumblr](https://impy96.tumblr.com/) and I will yell with you all you like!
> 
> So yeah, thanks for reading and I hope you have an awesome day! ^.^


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